


Ombrifuge

by BBQkitten



Series: Serein [3]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Everyone Loves Lee Chan, Hurt/Comfort, It's unintentional though, Loving Seventeen Hyungs, M/M, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Multi, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Past Mind Control, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:20:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27682115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BBQkitten/pseuds/BBQkitten
Summary: Even when he wasn’t being surrounded by their magic he still felt their warmth.That had to mean something.His eyes flew over to the small rectangular black box he knew was sitting in the bottom of his desk drawer, hidden underneath layers of concealment charms.No one could control him. These feelings had to be real.OR Lee Chan has been hurt by covens before and is totally completely fine with hiding what he is. Then he meets the Seventeen coven and learns what a family is supposed to be.
Relationships: Lee Chan | Dino/Everyone
Series: Serein [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990141
Comments: 11
Kudos: 251





	Ombrifuge

**Author's Note:**

> Ombrifuge— a protection or shelter from the rain

Chan swallowed thickly, staring down at the rune etched into his palm. The black ink burned as the lines turned into creeping vines and wrapped themselves around his forearm. He flexed his fingers as the rune seared his skin as it sunk in, fading into a light pink like an old scar before settling as a dull tingling pain running up and down his arm. 

“I really wish you wouldn’t make me do this, Chan-ah,” Baekhyun sighed, rubbing at the rune apologetically. “This really isn’t healthy.”

Chan sighed, pulling his arm back from the older witch. “I’ll be fine, hyung,” he whispered, looking down at the worn table between them. He bit his lip as the inevitable migraine began nudging its way into awareness. The last thing he wanted was for Baekhyun to know how much the suppressant rune was affecting him because then the older man would refuse to seal his magic and he’d have to go to a back alley dealer and probably get a few virus curses added on for free— or the dealer would realize what he was sealing and try to drain the young witch of his powers. It has happened more than once in Chan’s twenty years of existence and he had zero desire to relive it. 

The elder witch frowned, pulling Chan’s hand back into his own. “You won’t. This was only supposed to be temporary— until you got your footing in Seoul. I don’t want to see you burn out.”

“I won’t burn out, hyung,” he smiled. “I know my limits.”

“Clearly not if you’re back again already,” the elder scolded, rubbing his index finger across the back of Chan’s hand. 

Chan sighed as his migraine dissipated slightly, closing his eyes as Baekhyun tapped his hand three times before letting go. “Your headaches are only going to get worse, Channie. Please let my coven help, kid. We’d be so good to you.”

The youngest shook his head, standing up as he bowed to the witch. “Thank you for your help, hyung.” He moved towards the door to the witch’s office. “I appreciate your offer but you know how I feel about covens. I’m fine on my own.” 

Baekhyun sighed, giving the younger a tired smile before conceding. “My door is always open for you, kid. Coven or not, you’re one of mine.” He motioned for the door, letting it slowly swing open with a gentle breeze. “Come over for dinner tomorrow. Junmyeon-hyung has been pestering me about you. It’d ease him to see you in person.”

“Is Kyungsoo-hyung cooking?”

“Yes,” Baekhyun laughed. “So come over.”

Chan smiled, nodding once as he stepped out. “Okay, hyung. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Six o’clock!” He shouted as the younger witch rounded the corner out of sight.

It was raining when he finally got out of his afternoon class the next day. He had stayed behind to talk to his professor however he regretted that decision when he saw how dark the clouds had gotten. That extra credit wasn’t worth the cold he was going to get from his wet clothes on his walk home. As he was turning the corner to his dorm, head down to avoid getting water in his eyes, he slammed into another body coming at him at a hurried pace. 

“Oh my god,” the body exclaimed, immediately reaching down to pull Chan up. “I am so sorry. Are you alright?”

Chan looked up, eyes widening at the sight of the gorgeous man standing in front of him. He slowly nodded his head, squinting his eyes as the rain shifted direction to hit him directly in the face. “I’m fine. Are you alright, sir?”

The man smiled, bottom lip trembling. “Yes, I’m okay. I guess I’m just a bit out of it.” He looked up, glaring at the heavy rain for a moment before the clouds cleared. “Sorry about that,” he muttered, shooting Chan an embarrassed grin. “Must’ve been projecting. I’m Jeonghan, by the way.” 

“Uh— Chan,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he took a small step back. 

Jeonghan smiled, giving Chan a small bow. “It was nice to meet you, Chan-ssi. I need to go now but please take care of yourself.” He grabbed Chan’s hand, pushing a small tin into his palm as he pulled away. The sun poked through the clouds as Jeonghan waved goodbye, taking large, hurried steps down the street. 

Chan closed his eyes, focusing on Jeonghan’s retreating figure, feeling flashes of  _ worryworryworry  _ and  _ ohmygodmypoorbaby.  _ He brings his hand up to his mouth, worryingly biting his nails as he continues towards his dorm, examining the tin of blue cream Jeonghan slipped to him, recognizing the migraine relief balm from all the times Baekhyun would use it on him. He sends a soft wave of reassurance back towards Jeonghan’s conscious before closing the connection. 

The second he closed the door to his dorm room, he dropped his bag and stripped himself of his sopping wet clothes. His migraine was returning rapidly, the small leak in his seal caused by his brief connection to Jeonghan literally opened the floodgates. Looking down at the rune, he bit his lip, watching as it faded further into his skin, the creeping vines receding slightly back towards the center of his palm. 

_ Fuck _ , he thought, tracing the intricate pattern with his finger.  _ Baekhyun-hyung will kill me if I ask him to restore the rune so soon.  _ Chan bit his lip as he closed his eyes, focusing all his energy on the rune and pushing some of his magic into it. He swayed, dropping back heavily against the door as he slid to the floor. His head felt floaty as he pulled his hand away, his magic subsiding to a dull ache that settled deep in his bones. After a few minutes, Chan heaved himself up, using his desk to keep himself standing long enough to drop on to his bed tiredly. 

He woke up a few hours later to his phone buzzing incessantly from his backpack. The witch groaned before heaving himself off of the bed and stumbling over to his bag. His whole body was burning as he swiped right, bringing the phone up to his ear. 

“Hello?” He asked, voice rough with sleep.

“Channie?” Junmyeon fretted. “Baby, I thought you were coming over for dinner. Is everything okay? You sound sick.”

“I’m fine, hyung,” Chan replied, trying to clear his throat subtly. “It was just a long day and the freak rainstorm caught me off guard so I was soaked by the time I got home.” He ran his hand through his hair as he stumbled back to his bed, sitting down heavily. “I just fell asleep when I got home. I didn’t mean to skip out on dinner. I’m sorry, hyung.”

Junmyeon sighed exasperatedly, “Did you at least dry off before you fell asleep, kid? Otherwise, knowing your luck, you’ll get a cold.”

Chan rolled his eyes, moving to lay back down. “Yes, hyung. I dried off before I fell asleep,” he lied.

He could practically feel Junmyeon’s glare as the elder responded, “Don’t lie to me, Lee Chan.”

“I’m not lying, hyung!” He exclaimed. “I swear I didn’t go to bed wet.”

“I’m bringing you dinner,” he replied, his tone leaving no room for debate. He heard the tell-tale sound of jangling keys and a door opening and closing. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes, Chan-ah.”

“That’s really unnecessary, hyung,” Chan replied, sighing as he heard Junmyeon’s car start. 

“That’s really not a choice, baby,” the elder witch retorted. 

Chan closed his eyes, listening to the low rumble of the car’s engine through the phone. “Yes, hyung.”

Fifteen minutes later there was a knock on Chan’s room, the door opening before the young witch could get up. Junmyeon barged in, moving quickly to Chan. 

He brought his hand up to the other’s forehead, frowning when he felt a slight heat radiating the younger’s skin. “You still wanna stick with your story about drying off?”

Chan sighed heavily, leaning back against his pillow and closing his eyes again. “No, hyung,” he conceded. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

Junmyeon brushed his lips against the other’s forehead, a soft heat trickling down his head from the point of contact. He felt the fever recede as the elder pulled back, rolling his eyes fondly. “You’re lucky you have such a loving hyung, Chan-ah.” He reached down to the floor, picking up the bag he had dropped when he had entered the younger’s dorm. “Now,” he continued, smiling at Chan. “Eat your dinner.” He handed over a bento and a pair of chopsticks. 

“Thank you, hyung,” he replied, opening the container and digging in as Junmyeon made himself comfortable on the bed next to the younger. 

He felt Junmyeon brush his fingers through his hair as he ate, the elder witch humming a soft tune as he tucked the boy into his side. “I don’t like having to worry about you like this,” he murmured, pressing a kiss into Chan’s hair. “I wish you would just let us in, baby.” He sighed, closing his eyes as he brushed his aura against the younger’s.

“You know I can’t, hyung.”

Junmyeon sighed sadly, kissing Chan’s head again. “I know, baby— doesn’t make it any easier to watch you destroy yourself.”

Chan set the empty bento aside before snuggling further into Junmyeon’s chest. He didn’t say anything, just basking in the safety of his hyung as sleep slowly overtook him. 

He woke up the next morning to soft fingers brushing through his hair. Chan whined at being woken, nuzzling into Junmyeon’s chest in protest. “Come on, baby,” the elder murmured, chuckling at Chan’s antics. “You have class and I need to get to work. Get up and hyung will buy you breakfast when he walks you to class.”

Chan sighed, pushing himself up off of the witch’s chest and moving towards his dresser. As he pulled off his hoodie, Junmyeon shot up and grabbed his left arm. “You can’t keep doing this,” he scolded, tracing the rune. “This is going to kill you if you keep this up.”

“I know my limits, hyung,” he muttered, gently pulling his arm out of the elder’s grip. “This won’t kill me. I promise.” He leaned over, pressing a kiss to Junmyeon’s cheek coyly. Chan grabbed his backpack from the floor, smiling innocently at his hyung. “Breakfast?”

Junmyeon shot the younger a sad look, wrapping his arm around the younger as he led him out of the dorm building. “Yeah, kid. Let’s get you some breakfast.”

He was late to work. Chan groaned as he scrubbed his face roughly to wake himself up as he stood in front of the register. The night was dragging and all he could focus on as was the queasy feeling in his stomach. It was nearing the end of his shift and he was counting down the minutes as the dark sky outside mocked him with it’s late hour. The door to the cafe opened, soft chimes ringing overhead as a tall brown haired boy walked through with his head down low. 

The man smiled at Chan softly as he came up to the front counter. “Can I get a green tea please?” He asked.

Chan nodded, moving to make the drink as he hid his wince. The man looked tired, or maybe emotionally exhausted. With his back turned, he hovered his hand over the top of the cup, closing his eyes as he focused on  _ calmhappyreassurance _ and let a bit of it trickle into the tea before popping the lid on and turning back to the customer. He hid his wince as his migraine spiked from the use of his magic. 

“That’ll be three thousand won, please sir,” he stated, handing the cup across the counter. The man’s fingers brushed his as he traded his money for the tea, eyes widening as electricity shot through his hand where their skin touched. 

The stranger set his tea on the counter and grabbed at Chan’s hand again, holding his palm between his two larger ones. “Oh, you are hurting,” he whispered, closing his eyes as he blew on Chan’s fingers gently. The breath felt icy cold on his fingertips as it traveled down his arm. He felt his eyelids flutter as the cool feeling seeped into his head, numbing his migraine. 

Chan sighed in relief, opening his eyes to give the stranger an inquisitorial look. “Thank you?”

The mysterious witch smiled, releasing Chan’s hand and bowing. “I’m Joshua,” he stated, shooting the barista a wide smile. 

“Uh— Chan,” he replied, rubbing his still tingling hand awkwardly. 

Joshua gave Chan a smile, taking a sip of his tea before his eyes widened. “This is good!” He gave Chan a thumbs up. “Thank you, Chan-ssi.”

Chan bowed, closing his eyes for a moment to settle the nausea that the movement caused. 

The witch frowned, reaching across the counter again to take Chan’s hand again. “You’re sick,” he murmured, cupping his hand again as the veins on the backs of his hand turned black. 

He sighed in relief, closing his eyes as his shoulders dropped from their tensed position as the nausea dissipated. “Ah— thank you again, Joshua-ssi.”

Joshua held on to Chan’s hand, his frown not disappearing as he stared at the other. “What time are you done, Chan-ssi?”

“Uh— I’m— I’m done at ten?” He replied, brows furrowing as he watched Joshua’s face brighten considerably. 

“Good,” he smiled, releasing Chan’s hand and taking his drink over to a nearby table. “I’ll take you to my hyung once you’re off. My healing can only go so far with sicknesses. Hyung will be able to actually cure your sickness though— he’s a brilliant potions master.”

“Ah,” Chan started, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. “That’s really not necessary, sir. I’m sure it’s nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix. Thank you for healing me, Joshua-ssi but you don’t need to help me any further.” He bowed again to the other witch, turning away to wipe down the counter behind him so he didn’t have to look at Joshua’s disappointed frown. 

He heard Joshua shuffle behind him as he continued to clean and turn off the machines, hoping that the strange witch would just leave without any more prompting. As he was turning off the machines, his migraine began making its presence known again. He squinted his eyes against the harsh overhead lights, going over to Joshua. “I’m closing now, sir,” he muttered, bowing politely. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Joshua frowned, standing up to rest a big hand on Chan’s shoulder. “Chan-ssi,” he started, a worried tone blanketing his voice. “Jeonghan-hyung is on his way and I’m not leaving until I know you’re fully healed.” He gave the boy a soft smile. “You’re stuck with me kid. I can see your headache has already returned.” 

Chan sighed, nodding his head in resignation, as he moved to shut down the main lights and flip the sign to closed. “You know you’re very persistent, Joshua-ssi.”

“How old are you, Chan?” He asked, motioning for Chan to sit down next to them while they waited for his hyung. 

“I’m twenty,” he replied, fiddling with his hands uncomfortably. 

“Twenty?” Joshua asked, eyes widening. “Aish, you’re a baby! You can call me hyung, okay, Chan-ah?”

Chan nodded his head, eyes wide as he watched Joshua jump up and run to the front door, opening it for a familiar man.

“Jeonghan-ssi?” Chan asked, as he stood up.

“Chan-ssi?” Jeonghan responded, moving quickly towards the younger. “You’re the one that’s sick? Again?” 

Joshua followed his hyung over after locking the front door. “You two know each other?”

Jeonghan shrugged, gently nudging Chan back into his seat as he cupped the younger’s temples in concentration. “Sort of? I literally ran into him on the way to the hospital the other day to see Kyunnie.”

The witch’s eyes widened, “ _ He’s _ who you ran into? Wow, hyung, small world!”

The eldest smiled, “Small indeed.” He let go of Chan’s head, reaching into his bag and pulling out the same balm he had given the younger last time they had met. Jeonghan moved to sit down on the chair next to Chan and popped open the tin, scooping out some of the blue paste onto his fingers and smeared it to Chan’s forehead liberally. 

Chan’s eyes drooped closed as the paste dissolved into his skin, leaving a warm tingling sensation in his wake. He hummed as his migraine completely evaporated. 

“Better?” Jeonghan asked.

“Yes, sir,” he replied, nodding his head as he smiled at the elder. “Thank you.”

“Good,” Jeonghan smiled, ruffling Chan’s hair fondly. “And please call me hyung, okay?”

Chan nodded his head obediently, moving to stand up.

“Ah!” The older witch scolded, gently pushing Chan back down in his seat by his shoulders. “I’m not done with you, Chan-ah. You’re still nauseous, correct? Stay still while hyung works.”

Joshua barked out a laugh, plopping down on Chan’s other side. “Best to just do what hyung says, kid. He can be quite stubborn,” he joked, reaching over to softly pet the younger’s hair down. 

Jeonghan smiled, reaching back in his bag to pull out a small container. He peeled off the lid and pulled out a singular purple leaf before putting the container back in his bag and holding the leaf out in front of the younger’s lips. “Open, Chan-ah,” he commanded, gently brushing his lips with the leaf. 

Hesitantly, Chan opened his mouth, allowing Jeonghan to place the leaf on his tongue. The leaf fizzled like pop rocks on his tongue, leaving behind a thick mint taste in his mouth. He scrunched his face in distaste as the mint slowly made its way down his throat like molasses. 

“I know it’s not the most pleasant experience, kiddo,” Jeonghan apologized, rubbing the younger’s hair in consolation. “But it’s the fastest way to get rid of nausea.” Chan felt his eyes droop, as the eldest witch continued petting his hair. “Unfortunately, it makes you a bit drowsy.”

Joshua chuckled, grabbing Chan’s coat from where the younger had set it on the counter. He held it out, reaching forward to help him get his arms in his sleeves. “Come on, kid,” he cooed, brushing Chan’s hair out of his face as he zipped up the younger’s coat for him. 

Jeonghan handed the witch his bag before wrapping his arm around Chan’s waist and hoisting him up. Chan felt like he was on his way to being incredibly high, legs jelly underneath him. “Did you drug me?” He slurred, squinting his eyes in accusation as he tried to pull his heavy limbs away from the elder witch. 

“Not unnecessarily, Chan-ah,” he replied, wrapping his arm around the younger more tightly as he struggled. “You’re okay, kiddo. You’re okay.” He wrapped his other arm around Chan as well, pulling him up so that he was cradled in the elder’s arms. Chan pushed his hand weakly against Jeonghan’s chest. “Shh, you’re okay.” He pressed a soft kiss to the top of Chan’s head. “The fogginess will fade in a few minutes. Hyung is just going to drive you home, okay? Hyung just wants to make sure you get home safe.” 

Chan whimpered, pressing his face against the elder’s chest. “Please— please don’t hurt me. I don’t— I don’t want to— I’m not—” 

“Shh,” Joshua hushed, stepping in front of the pair to gently brush Chan’s cheek. “You’re okay, baby. Can you give hyung your address so we can take you home?”

Chan shook his head, pushing against Jeoghan’s chest again. “Please, I— I want hyungs,” he cried, smacking weakly at the elder. “I don’t want to be— be hurt a— again. Please leave me alone.”

Jeonghan’s eyes widened, softly rocking Chan in his arms. “We won’t hurt you, Chan-ah. We— we could never.” He pressed a kiss to Chan’s forehead, looking worriedly over to Joshua. 

“Put him down, hyung,” Joshua instructed, stepping back as Jeonghan gently set Chan back into the chair. “You’re okay, Chan-ah,” he whispered, bringing up his hand placatingly. “I promise we aren’t trying to hurt you, kid. We were just trying to help.”

The eldest witch nodded, eyes wide as he watched Chan scrunch his face up in discomfort. “I’m sorry, Chan-ah. I should have warned you about the anti-nausea effects. This is all my fault.” He brushed Chan’s bangs away from his face, leaving his hand against the younger’s forehead as he closed his eyes. 

Chan felt the fogginess dissipate like a receding tide as he blinked his eyes open.

“I swear,” Jeonghan pleaded, taking a step away again. “The last thing we wanted to do was hurt or scare you, kiddo.” He bowed deeply. “I took away the effects of the leaf, however, that does mean your nausea will come back. I’m sorry, Chan.”

He shook his head, standing up. “It’s— it’s okay, hyung. I just— I’m not— I don’t like not being fully in control of my body.”

Jeonghan nodded solemnly. “I apologize, Chan-ah. I will be sure to tell you all the effects of my potions before giving them to you in the future.”

“The future?” Chan asked.

Joshua frowned, “You can’t feel it, Chan-ah? Our magic— it resonates.”

Chan’s eyes widened as he shook his head profusely. “No— I— you must be mistaken. I’m not—” 

“Shh,” Jeonghan hushed, reaching forward to gently pull Chan into his arms again. “You’re okay, baby. Hyungs will take care of you. We know you’re not a witch— we can feel that— but you have to have magic in your lineage somewhere and that magic resonates perfectly with ours. You’re our thirteenth. You complete our circle.”

The youngest shook his head, but before he could say anything, Joshua sat down beside him and brushed his cheek fondly. “You’re okay, Chan-ah. We won’t force anything on you, alright?” He smiled at the younger, “We just want to take care of you.”

He closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel the way Joshua’s and Jeonghan’s magic wrapped around his consciousness like the warmest hug he’d ever experienced. Chan couldn’t deny how safe he felt in their presence as Joshua wrapped his arm around his shoulder. He hummed, allowing himself to press his face into Joshua’s neck hesitantly. “I— I’ve been burned before— by— by covens,” he admitted. 

Jeonghan released a sympathetic coo, “Oh baby,” he whispered sadly, moving to crouch in front of Chan. “We’ll take it nice and slow, okay sweetie? Hyungs will take care of you.” He wrapped his hands around Chan’s wrists letting his magic snake around the younger’s arms in soft furls. 

He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the comforting embrace of the elder’s magic. It felt like home. Like safety. Chan had never felt so safe in his life. 

“Can we walk you home, baby?”

Chan nodded, brain feeling a bit soft around the edges as he leaned into Joshua’s chest some more. The elder rubbed his back, pressing a soft kiss to Chan’s hair before standing up. He offered a hand to the younger who took it gladly as he stood, eyes only half open in the dim light of the cafe. Joshua’s hand was warm in his as he led Chan towards the front door, Jeonghan following diligently behind with their bags. 

The eldest witch caught up to them outside as Chan pulled away to lock the door. The crisp night air bit Chan’s cheeks as he turned back around to face the hyungs, his head clearing significantly in the fresh air. He motioned to take his bag from Jeonghan who smiled sweetly, moving it to his other shoulder so that he could grab the younger’s outstretched hand instead. 

“Let hyung carry it please, Chan-ah?” Jeonghan asked, a slow, mischievous pout spreading across his face. “To make up for scaring you.”

He sighed, nodding his head as he allowed the older to lace their fingers together. Joshua saddled up to his other side, guiding him forward with a gentle hand on his lower back. The three walked slowly, keeping the younger between them as Chan led them to his dorm. 

As they neared the campus, Jeonghan grew more and more excited, bouncing slightly as he turned to the younger, “You go to SIA? What do you study?”

Chan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, I’m here for choreography and audio production.”

“Like half of our coven goes to this university too, Chan-ah,” Joshua laughed. “Small world, eh? Can’t believe you’ve been under our noses this whole time.” He brought his hand up to gently squeeze Chan’s shoulder fondly. “Can we get your number, Chan-ah? We’d like to get to know you more— if you’d let us.”

The younger nodded his head, smiling softly before pulling out his phone and handing it over. 

“Thank you, baby,” Jeonghan whispered, wrapping Chan up in a hug while Joshua inputted their numbers and texted their phones. 

“We can add you to our group chat,” Joshua added. “That way you can get to know the rest of the coven as well.”

Chan bit his lip, nodding his head again as he accepted his phone back. He bowed politely to the two witches, “Thank you for walking me home, hyungs. And healing me— even though I freaked out on you.”

Jeonghan frowned, pulling Chan in for another hug. “That wasn’t your fault, baby. So thank you for trusting us even after we messed up, Chan-ah. And hyung is still sorry for scaring you.” He released the younger and stepped back to stand next to Joshua after handing the younger his bag back. 

“All is forgiven, hyung,” Chan replied, sticking his hand up in a wave before making his way inside.

Later that same night, after Chan had showered and had situated himself on his twin bed with his textbooks his phone released a series of chimes in rapid succession. 

**_Chan-ah_ ** _ has been added to  _ **_The Ultimate Coven_ **

**_Vernon:_ ** _ Hello maknae!  _

**_Vernon:_ ** _ (I’m not the maknae anymore!!!!) _

**_HaoHao:_ ** _ You will always be our baby, Sollie.  _

**_HaoHao:_ ** _ Also, welcome Chan! _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ Omg we finally have a thirteenth! _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ I need a picture of you asap Chan! _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ I need to make sure you’re cute enough to make the cut! _

**_Joshua:_ ** _ Don’t worry. He’s much cuter than you, Seungkwan-ah. _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ Sounds fake but okay. _

Chan grinned, reading through the messages before hesitantly typing into the text box.

**_Chan-ah:_ ** _ Hi _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ Hello!!!!  _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ I need a picture of you. Purely for your contact information of course.  _

**_Joshua:_ ** _ Don’t listen to Seungkwan, Chan-ah. You don’t have to send a picture if you don’t want to. _

The witch grinned into his hoodie as he leaned back against the wall, scrolling through his photo gallery. His finger hovered over a selca he had taken last week with Chanyeol, hesitating as he stared back at his own face for a moment before backing out of the app and clicking on the messenger app again. 

**_Chan-ah:_ ** _ hmmm... maybe later. Stranger-danger and all that. What if you just want to use my pretty face to catfish innocent middle-aged businessmen for free meals? _

**_Hoshi:_ ** _ OH! I like this one. Good job, hyungs! _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ Okay. Fair. I’ll give you that one, Chan-ah! But by the end of the night we won’t be strangers anymore! Us maknaes gotta stick together! _

**_Vernon:_ ** _ Yes! Maknae line only! This is now a ‘no hyungs allowed’ group chat!  _

**_Vernon:_ ** _ Boring adults do not interact! _

**_Minnie:_ ** _ Bye bye hyungs! _

**_Minnie:_ ** _ We need to get to know our newest addition _

**_Gyu:_ ** _ Y’all are going to get us in trouble. Don’t provoke the hyungs like that. _

**_HaoHao:_ ** _ Like you didn’t just literally squeeze Jihoon-hyung’s and run away screaming. _

**_HaoHao:_ ** _ Coward. _

**_Gyu:_ ** _ Rude. Just for that Kwannie gets your kisses tonight. _

**_Wonwoo:_ ** _ Welcome to the absolute chaos that is this coven, Chan. I pray you have a modicum of common sense to counteract these lunatics.  _

**_Chan-ah:_ ** _ Surprisingly happy to be here. I do have homework to do though so I’ll have to talk to you all later.  _

**_Hoshi:_ ** _ Bye Channie! Study hard! _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ But not too hard!  _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ Message us when you’re on your way to class tomorrow! We’ll walk with you! _

**_Chan-ah:_ ** _ Will do hyungs. Goodnight.  _

Chan exited out of the chat and set his phone to the side, a large smile on his face. Even when he wasn’t being surrounded by their magic he still felt their warmth. 

That had to mean something.

His eyes flew over to the small rectangular black box he knew was sitting in the bottom of his desk drawer, hidden underneath layers of concealment charms. 

No one could control him. These feelings had to be real.

He hopped off the bed, his knees crashing to the floor in front of the desk as he yanked the drawer open. The barriers allowed his hand to pass through like water, the cold prickling feeling of their magic a comforting force as he pulled out the box. 

His heart was racing in his ears as shaky fingers flicked the latch and pulled the lid back. His vision blacked out momentarily as he took in the sight of the poppet staring mockingly back at him. Chan ran a trembling finger down the body of the doll, sighing in relief as he felt the magic in it holding strong. Quickly, he slammed the lid shut before shoving it back in it’s hiding place and reapplying the wards. 

Chan pulled himself back up, dropping heavily back onto the bed as he breathed a sigh of relief. 

His feelings were his own. 

He was okay.

His phone flashed, indicating a notification

**_The Ultimate Coven_ **

**_DaddyHyung:_ ** _ Aww, did I miss Chan? _

**_DaddyHyung:_ ** _ Whoever changed my name is on dish duty for a week. _

**_Jun:_ ** _ Your threats hold no power here, Daddy. _

**_DaddyHyung:_ ** _ Fuck you. _

He smiled, closing out of the app and putting his phone on the bedside table. Chan allowed a few minutes to bring his heart rate back down to manageable levels before buckling back down into his essay.

The next morning came far too soon. Chan groaned as his alarm blared loudly from his phone next to his head. His prereq history textbook was poking rudely into his abdomen, most likely leaving him with a nice bruise as a reward for falling asleep in the middle of his revision. Immediate regret flooded him as he opened his eyes and was greeted with the stabbing light of the morning sun pouring through his window. Chan grudgingly got out of bed, no time to wallow in his misery, and got dressed. As he was walking towards his campus he remembered the witches’ messages from last night. 

He pulled out his phone, shooting a quick  _ Good morning, hyungs. I’m on my way to class  _ before continuing towards the prereq hall. 

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ Classes this early should be illegal. :( _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ Vernon and I are outside of the prereq hall. We have a literature exam in thirty minutes.  _

**_Kwaaaan:_ ** _ I’m in a red hoodie and Sollie is wearing the world’s ugliest sweater vest. Can’t miss it. _

Chan laughed, looking up in time to see a tall dark haired boy smack a blonde boy repeatedly with his backpack. 

As he stepped within range, the two boys’ heads shot up, eyes widening as they stared at Chan in amazement. 

“Wow,” the blonde boy muttered, approaching Chan. “Hyungs were right. You really do resonate perfectly.” He brought his hand up in front of the younger as if to high five him. 

Chan slowly brought his hand up to meet the older’s, closing his eyes as the boy’s magic braided itself with his own. 

“Ah, you feel so nice, Chan-ah,” the blonde stated, closing his eyes as he hummed happily.

The other boy whined, coming forward to lean into the two’s space. “Oh,” he murmured, unconsciously leaning his head on the younger’s shoulders as he took a deep breath. “Your magic feels so warm, Chan-ah.” He pulled back, smiling widely. “I’m Vernon. That’s Seungkwan. We’re your hyungs by one year. It’s nice to meet you.”

Chan smiled, pulling away from Seungkwan to give the two a small bow. “It’s nice to meet you too, hyungs. Please take care of me.”

“Aish,” Seungkwan cooed. “Such a polite maknae!”

“What time does your class start, Chan-ah?” Vernon asked, leading them back towards the bench their bags were lying on. 

The youngest glanced down at the clock on his phone. “Ah... five minutes?”

Seungkwan pouted. “We should get coffee after class then— hyung’s treat.”

Chan nodded his head, smiling widely at the elder, “I’d like that a lot, hyung.”

Vernon wrapped his arm around Chan’s shoulders, leading him into the building. They walked the youngest to his math class, each pressing their cheeks against each side Chan’s reddened face in farewell before stepping away. “Have a good class, Chan-ah. We’ll meet you back at the bench afterwards?”

He nodded before walking into his class, ignoring the inquisitive looks from his fellow classmates as he took his seat. Calculus dragged on the best of days, but especially knowing that he had two new hyungs to get to know after class made it all the more boring. As soon as the professor dismissed them, he practically ran out of the building, skidding to a stop in front of the empty bench. Seungkwan and Vernon must still be taking their exam, he figured. Chan sat down, sighing heavily as he pulled out his chemistry text book to study for his exam at the end of the week. 

Twenty minutes later, the prereq building doors opened and a group of students flowed out, chattering happily as they made their way away from the school. Chan perked up as he spotted Seungkwan’s red hoodie. He stood, smiling as the two older boys skipped over to him. Vernon reached him first, grabbing his hand as he hummed in satisfaction as his magic wrapped around Chan’s. 

He closed his eyes as he brought his forehead down to rest on Chan’s clavicle. “Aish, Chan-ah,” he murmured, smiling fondly as he pulled back. “Your magic is so soft. I can’t believe you’re human.” He grinned wider, lurching forward to press a quick kiss to the younger’s forehead before stepping away. 

“It’s okay though, Channie,” Seunkwan said, lacing Chan’s other hand with his. “We’ll take care of you.”

Chan frowned as they began walking towards the cafe just off campus. “How are you guys so certain that I’m— that I’m this— this perfect fit?”

Vernon squeezed his hand, sending a reassuring smile to the younger. “We can feel it,” he replied, shrugging. “Also, Minghao-hyung saw you weeks ago.”

“But—  _ how  _ can I be what a coven of witches need?”

Seungkwan pulled the two into the cafe, settling them down in a booth in the back corner with Chan in the middle. “Covens work through circles,” he explained, rubbing the back of the younger’s hand as Vernon went up to the counter to buy them all drinks. “To be at your maximum magical capacity, a coven needs to have a prime number of witches. The amount of magic a witch has is irrelevant to the coven as a whole. It’s about the equal distribution and division of the collective power to each individual witch. Seungcheol-hyung is our center point— think of it like a star pattern. He’s in the middle and we’re all the surrounding points connected to him. This lets us all distribute our magic equally with Cheollie-hyung pulling from all of us from the center of our circle. Without you, our circle has been uneven— we’ve had a point missing since Minghao-hyung joined us.” He chuckled, playing with Chan’s fingers as Vernon joined them again, passing out their drinks. 

Chan took a tentative sip, eyes widening as he tasted his typical coffee order. “How did you—” 

“Hao-hyung texted me your order while we were in class,” Vernon replied, smirking into his own tea proudly. At the youngest’s confused stare, Vernon laughed, “He’s an oracle. Really powerful one too but without much control. Now that you’re here to finish our circle he will be able to even out and get more substantial reads.” He frowned, looking off into the middle distance. “Too bad we hadn’t found you earlier. Minghao-hyung would have been able to see Changkyun-hyung before he got hurt.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Seungkwan scolded, reaching around Chan’s shoulders with his free arm to gently squeeze Vernon’s. “Visions are inexact at best— just look at Jungkook-hyung’s visions.”

Vernon nodded in acquiescence, “Yeah, I know. I just— I hated seeing hyung like that.”

“Me too,” Seungkwan murmured, pressing his cheek to the top of Chan’s head. “Changkyun-hyung is a human friend of ours— well, more of the ‘96-liners’ friend than specifically our friend but he still loves us just as much. He got attacked by the BR last week and nearly died.”

Chan frowned, eyebrows furrowing cutely. “Why would the BR attack a human?”

“He’s being courted by the Son wolf pack,” Vernon replied. “And he won’t be human for much longer, hyung. He asked for the bite when he woke up.”

“Really?” Seungkwan grinned widely. “I’m happy for him.”

Vernon nodded, taking another sip of his tea. “Don’t worry though, Chan-ah. With you as our last point, our magic will be magnified tenfold and we’ll be able to protect you so the BR will never even be able to touch you. And besides, connecting us all together may unbury your latent magic.”

Seungkwan hummed happily, “I hope you’re a water elemental like me. We could play in the river together.”

The youngest laughed uncomfortably, looking down into his coffee. “I don’t think I have anything like that in me,” he replied quietly. 

“Whatever you are,” Vernon started, wrapping his arm around the younger’s waist. “We’ll love you regardless— even if you never manifest anything.” 

Chan slowly allowed himself to relax into his hyungs arms, leaning into his side as he replied, “Promise, hyung?”

Vernon pressed a soft kiss to the younger’s temple as Seungkwan cooed, “I promise, Chan-ah. Hyungs will love and protect you for the rest of eternity.” 

Chan was positive he had reached his limit. Each limb felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as he limped his way to his only class of the day. If his scholarship wasn’t on the line, he would have stayed buried under his covers this morning instead of venturing out. He knew he needed to go out to the forest— break the rune and allow his magic to run rampant for a few hours to reset his overextended core. He squeezed his eyes closed, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk as his migraine spiked fiercely behind his temple. 

“Chan-ah?” 

He groaned, dropping to his knees as Mingyu ran to catch him. 

“Oh my god,” the elder exclaimed, bringing the hand not wrapped around Chan up to the younger’s forehead. “You’re burning up, baby.”

Chan wrapped his arms around Mingyu’s neck as the elder used a gust of wind to swing him up in his arms. “Hyung,” he whined, burying his face in the witch’s chest. “Hurts, hyung.”

“Shh,” Mingyu murmured, pressing a series of soft kisses to the top of his head as he began power walking away from the campus. “Hyung’s got you. Jeonghan-hyung will make you feel better, baby— just hold on.”

The air moved past them quickly, almost as if they were flying— in retrospect, Chan wouldn’t have been surprised if Mingyu flew back to their coven house. In the three months the youngest had known the witch, there was never a moment where Mingyu didn’t attempt to fly instead of walk like a normal person. 

Mingyu burst into the house, passing the maknae to Jeonghan’s waiting arms as the elder moved them to the main bedroom. Jeonghan gently laid Chan down on the bed, cooing softly as Chan whimpered at the loss of body heat. He quickly brought his hands up to the younger’s temples, rubbing a creme that smelled like ginger and chamomile into his skin. 

“What happened?” Seungcheol asked, stalking into the room. 

“I don’t know,” Mingyu replied, wringing his hand nervously. “I was walking to class and I found him just— just stopped in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the science building. He just— he just collapsed. I don’t know what happened.”

Seungcheol pulled the younger witch into his arms, pressing a comforting kiss to Mingyu’s head before pulling away and moving towards the bed. “Call Joshua, Gyu. Tell him we need him home as soon as possible. Then I want you to go out to the living room with Jihoon and Wonwoo, okay? Let your hyungs settle you while we take care of Chan-ah.”

Mingyu nodded his head jerkily as he staggered out of the room. Seungcheol brought a hand up to Chan’s temple, closing his eyes in concentration as he wrapped his magic around the youngest, searching for ailments that could have caused Chan’s current condition. He frowned, opening his eyes as his magic narrowed down to a point on the kid’s left arm. The leader brought his hands down to hover over the limb, releasing a burst of white light that washed away the concealment charm on the youngest’s wrist. 

The eldest sucked in a breath as he stepped away from the bed in shock.

“What  _ is _ that, hyung?” Jeonghan asked, eyes widening as he took in the complicated rune.

“A suppressor— a  _ strong _ suppressor,” he murmured, bringing his hands back down to gently trace the magic swirling on Chan’s arm. He growled, pulling back again, “This is EXO’s magic. I swear to god, I will  _ end _ those witches. Fuck.” Seungcheol smacked the wall in anger, leaving a spider web of cracks from the force of his excess magic. He closed his eyes, moving to sit on the edge of the bend, wrapping his large hands around Chan’s smaller one. “He’s like me, Jeonghan. Chan-ah is a full elemental. What the hell would EXO gain from suppressing his power. Why— why would he  _ let  _ them?”

Jeonghan sighed, pulling out his phone, “Well, why don’t we ask them?” He replied level-headedly, pressing call on Minseok’s contact. 

It rang twice before the elder witch picked up. “ _ Hello? _ ” He asked through the speaker

“Ah, Minseok-ssi,” Jeonghan started, moving closer to the bed so that Seungcheol could hear him clearly. “Do you know a Lee Chan? Twenty years old? Very shy?  _ Full elemental _ ?”

“ _ Ah, _ ” he replied. “ _ So you’re the witches my baby has adopted.” _

Seungcheol scoffed, “You speak of him so fondly yet you block his magic? I thought you were past such means.”

Minseok sighed, “ _ It’s true my coven suppressed his magic— I won't deny that. However the child begged us to. He hasn’t told you much of his past, I assume?” _

“No,” the leader bit out, softly caressing the maknae’s palm.

“ _ It’s not a pleasant story but it’s not my story to tell. He promised us that he would monitor his magic and release it before he got too pent up. In the two years we’ve known him, he’s never overexerted himself.” _

“Yeah, well, he’s practically comatose now, Minseok-ssi,” Jeonghan replied, biting his lip to prevent himself from spewing obscenities at the elder witch for his negligence.

It was silent over the phone for a few beats, the EXO witch finally releasing a long, low growl. “ _ You need to allow him to release his magic. If he’s unconscious, then his magic is snowballing— and fast. You need to get him to someplace deserted and stay back. His core is going to explode outward and only full elementals will be able to withstand the blast.” _

“Should we remove the rune?”

Minseok hummed, “ _ Yes, it will make it less painful for Chan-ah— but only once your coven is at a safe distance. It will make the explosion immediate. _ ” It was silent for a moment, Seungcheol standing up and pulling the other full elemental into his arms in a bridal carry. “ _ Don’t be too harsh on him for hiding his magic from you, Seungcheol-ah. The kid’s had a rough go at it. You know how difficult it is being so powerful as a solitary witch. He’s been put through the ringer and he doesn’t trust easily.” _ He paused, seemingly contemplating his next words. “ _ He came to me last week. Talked about removing the rune so that he could fully join your coven. When I met him, the kid had completely sworn off covens entirely. He wants to be with you— he just doesn’t trust easily. _ ” 

Jeonghan nodded, humming thoughtfully through the receiver. “Thank you, Minseok-ssi.”

The elder witch chuckled, “ _ Might as well call me hyung. If you truly are going to complete your circle with my baby then you can certainly expect a lot more of my and my coven. We’ll be well acquainted before you know it. _ ” Jeonghan and Seungcheol could hear the smug grin in the elder’s voice. “ _ Now, go take care of my kid and call me once he’s awake. _ ”

Minseok hyung up, leaving the two witches in the silence of the bedroom, only broken by Chan’s little whimpers. Seungcheol quickly made his way to the living room, shoving his feet in his shoes without letting go of Chan. 

“What’s going on, hyung?” Jihoon asked, jumping up from the couch where he and Wonwoo had been consoling Mingyu. 

“We need to get away from people,” he replied, grunting as the back of his shoe got caught on the heel of his foot. 

Wonwoo dropped down, helping the leader slide his foot fully into his shoe before lacing them up for him. “Hyung,” he murmured, standing back up. “What’s wrong with Channie?”

“He’s a full elemental,” Jeonghan stated, opening the door for Seungcheol to walk through. “And he’s been suppressing his magic. Basically— he’s about to combust.”

Jihoon sucked in a large breath, grabbing on to Mingyu’s forearm tightly. “We want to come with.”

“No,” Seungcheol replied. “I’m the only one that can survive the blast from his magic— I’m not risking any of you. Jeonghan is driving us but he is going to  _ stay in the car _ .”

“We’ll call you when we’re in the clear. Take care of the kids until we get back,” Jeonghan called, closing the door in the younger’s panicked faces. He sighed heavily, sitting behind the wheel of their car and starting the engine as Seungcheol climbed into the passenger seat with Chan still in his arms. “The kids are never going to forgive us for leaving them behind.”

“Rather they be mad at us than dead,” the leader replied as Jeonghan pulled out into the busy midday traffic. 

Within half an hour the three had made their way to an uninhabited area of the forest preserve surrounding Seoul. 

“Stay in the car,” Seungcheol commanded, getting out with Chan still wrapped tightly in his arms.

The elder quickly walked into the thick of the trees, sending out a wave of magic to ensure the area ahead was devoid of people. Five minutes in he found a clearing and sat down, keeping Chan in his lap. The younger whimpered, pressing his face unconsciously into Seungcheol’s chest as he grabbed his wrist. The rune pulsed angrily, lighting up Chan’s arm with bright red spirals, hot to the touch. He dragged his finger along the red lines, turning them blue before fading into nothing as he traced them. Once the rune was completely erased, Chan’s magic exploded outward, a massive white cloud of pure energy burning the leaves off of the nearby trees and scorching the grass underneath them. 

Seungcheol held the boy through the torrents of magic, gritting his teeth as it pulled at his clothes and skin harshly. The world burned around the two, Chan releasing guttural screams as wave after wave of pent up magic lashed out on the landscape around them. The elder ran shaking fingers through Chan’s hair in comfort as his magic wrapped around the two like a cocoon. 

“You’re okay, Chan-ah,” he whispered, pressing his lips to the boy’s forehead. “Hyung’s got you. You’re safe. Just let it out. Hyung will protect you.”

Slowly, Chan’s magic dwindled down, the swirling white mass gradually turning transparent as the sky darkened above them. Seungcheol breathed a sigh of relief as Chan’s whimpering tapered off, the younger nuzzling his face subconsciously into his neck.

“Hyung?” Chan mumbled, reaching up with a shaking hand to grab at Seungcheol’s shoulder. 

“Hyung’s here,” he replied, gently rocking the boy in his arms the last of his magic fizzled out. “You’re safe. Hyung’s got you.”

The boy slowly sat up in the elder’s lap. “Hyung,” he exclaimed, eyes widening as he took in the carnage around him before focusing on the unharmed witch holding him. “How—”

“You’re not the only full elemental, baby,” he laughed, pulling Chan back to his chest as he kissed the boy’s hair. “You’ll always be safe with me.” He stood up, keeping Chan firmly in his arms despite the younger’s protests, and began walking back towards the car, ignoring the scorched earth behind him. 

“Hyung, we should at least heal the ground,” Chan protested, wiggling in Seungcheol’s arms. 

“Wonwoo will want to do it,” the elder replied, smiling down at Chan. “We’ll come back for a picnic with the whole coven and we can decorate this area in flowers, yeah?”

Chan nodded, smiling slightly as he buried his face in the leader’s neck. 

Jeonghan raced toward them once the two broke through the barrier of the trees. “Chan-ah,” he exclaimed, racing up to run in hands up and down Chan’s face frantically. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again. Hyung was so worried.” He pressed a soft kiss to Chan’s cheek before pulling back and opening the door to the back seat and sliding in. “You’re driving home, Cheol. I need some time to hold my baby.” 

Seungcheol nodded amicably, passing Chan over to the other witch before getting behind the wheel and pulling out onto the road.

Chan was pulled as close to Jeonghan as the seat belt would physically allow, the elder witch running his hands up and down the younger’s arms as he looked for injuries.

“I’m okay, hyung,” he murmured, pressing his face into Jeonghan’s chest. 

“But you weren’t and we didn’t know,” he scolded, gently smoothing out the wrinkles in Chan’s shirt. “No more suppressing your powers, Chan-ah. That was so stupidly dangerous. Why would you ever think doing something so foolish was a good idea?”

Chan looked down, biting his lip as he tried to come up with the appropriate response. He turned his head toward Seungcheol, “Can we stop by my dorm, hyung? I— I need to explain but— it’d be easier to show you.” He looked down again, clenching his eyes shut as a single tear escaped. “I just hope I’m not wrong for trusting you,” he whispered, allowing Jeonghan to pull him to his chest in a tight hug. 

“You can always trust us, Chan-ah,” he replied, pressing a series of kisses to the younger’s hair. “Would it make you more comfortable to have your EXO hyungs with you?”

He bit his lip again, considering. “Maybe— maybe? They— they don’t know everything. Just that it’s— it’s not good. The hyungs aren’t— aren’t the most level headed when it comes to protecting people they love.”

Seungcheol scoffed from the front seat. “That’s the understatement of the century. Should have seen them a few years ago after the BR took Lu Han. Minseok-hyung went crazy. Kim Seokjin nearly had to put him down to prevent him from tearing through half the city.”

Chan released a little giggle, warming the two older witches’ hearts at the sound. “Hyung is really protective, isn’t he?”

The two smiled, Jeonghan leaning down to press another kiss to Chan’s forehead as Seungcheol pulled up in front of the dorms. They all got out and followed Chan up to his room.

The younger shifted from one foot to the other nervously as he stood in the center of the room. 

“It’s okay, Chan-ah,” Jeonghan reassured, reaching out to rest a gentle hand on the younger’s shoulder. “If you’re not ready, you don’t have to tell us. Just— no more hurting yourself, okay?”

Chan shook his head, staggering over towards the desk and dropping to his knees. “I— I need to tell you—  _ show _ you. You won’t understand why— why I hid what I was unless I do. And I— I really need you to understand.” He pulled open the bottom drawer, slipping out the black box and holding it tightly to his chest. Chan stood up, facing the two older witches solemnly. “I— I’m only going to be able to do this once, so— can we wait until we’re back with the rest of the coven?”

Seungcheol stepped forward, pulling Chan in for a tight hug. “Of course, baby. Let’s go home, yeah?”

The ride back to the coven house was silent. Chan kept a tight grip on his box while Jeonghan rubbed soothing circles on the younger’s thigh the whole way. The second they walked through the front door, Soonyoung ran forward, collecting Chan in a tight hug. 

“Are you okay, baby?” He fretted, pulling back to cup the younger’s cheeks in his hands and check him for injuries. 

Chan nodded, pushing himself closer to the older witch’s chest. In the past few months, Chan had grown the most comfortable with the necromancer; easily falling into a routine with the other of playful banter and spontaneous warm hugs. “I’m alright, hyung. Better now.”

Soonyoung hummed worriedly, pulling the younger over to the couch where Vernon and Seungkwan were waiting. The elder sat down, pulling Chan into his lap despite the younger’s protests. 

“What happened, hyungs?” Wonwoo asked, face already buried in Jeonghan’s shoulder as he watched Chan with hawk eyes. 

Everyone turned toward the youngest, who chewed on his bottom lip as he looked around at all his anxious hyungs. “I— I’m an elemental, hyungs,” he confessed, worrying the edges of the box still gripped tightly in his hands. 

“Like Cheollie-hyung?” Jun asked, sitting himself down on the floor in front of Chan. 

Chan nodded, “I was using runes to suppress my magic so that no one would be able to sense that I was a witch.”

“Why though?” Seokmin asked, face pinched in hurt as he gripped Jihoon’s hand from the other couch. “Why would you risk something so dangerous? Especially after you got to know us?”

The youngest swallowed, unable to hold back the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. “I wanted to tell you,” he whispered, allowing a few tears to escape as Soonyoung rubbed soothingly up and down his arms from behind him.

“You said you wanted to show us why, right Chan?” Seungcheol encouraged, nodding towards the box. 

Jun frowned as he eyed up the box, eyes glowing blue as he examined it. 

Chan slowly ran in fingers along the seam, carefully popping open the latch. The three closest to him sucked in startled breaths simultaneously as they took in the contents of the box.

“Chan-ah,” Soonyoung started, grip tightening on the younger. “What in god’s name are you doing with something like that?”

“It’s mine,” he replied, slowly lowering the box so that the rest of the coven could see the poppet lying within. 

“A poppet?” Jihoon asked, eyes narrowing.

Chan nodded, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “It’s— It’s connected to me. Controls— _ Controlled  _ me.” 

“Chan,” Joshua whispered, stumbling out of his seat to drop down onto his knees in front of the maknae. “You—”

He closed his eyes, leaning back into Soonyoung’s comforting presence as he opened his mouth. “My parents were never powerful. Mom was a water elemental and dad was a half-human kitchen witch. When I presented with my power they got really— angry. They were only in a coven of five and no one in my family coven had anything near the amount of power that I did. They kicked me out when I was thirteen. I wandered around the streets of Iksan for a few months before I was picked up by this coven— this really strong coven. I was naive back then. I just— I just wanted to belong somewhere, you know? So I followed noona home and ate their food and showed them my powers and then fell asleep in their bed. 

“After that, it’s like it was all a dream. Everything was hazy and out of sync and I didn’t even realize I was in a trance.” He paused, taking a deep steadying breath as he stroked the chest of the poppet. “I didn’t even realize what they had done to me until years later. They used the poppet to harness my magic and keep me under control so that I couldn’t leave. One day, noona was late to bleeding me onto the doll and I woke up. It was like I had been splashed with ice water and took a breath of fresh air for the first time in years. I ran— grabbed my poppet and ran as fast as I could. I ended up in Seoul, lived on the streets here for a few more months until I met Baekhyun-hyung. He— I don’t know what he saw in me but he helped me hide— helped me disappear. The EXO hyungs taught me control and gave me a home and never asked for anything in return from me.” He looked down at the poppet in his hands, slowly closing the lid and latching the box again. “I thought I’d be okay by myself— that I didn’t need anybody. But you guys— you guys made me want to trust again. I hope I’m not making a mistake trusting you with my past.”

“Never,” Seungcheol breathed, moving faster than lightning to collect the youngest into his arms. “We love you so much, Chan-ah. We’ll protect you for the rest of eternity. No one will ever harm you again.”

Chan wrapped his arms around Seungcheol tightly, burying his face in the elder’s chest. “I don’t want to be alone anymore, hyung.”

The leader cooed, pressing his lips to the side of Chan’s head. “You’re not alone, Chan-ah. Never again.”

Jun hummed thoughtfully, moving forward to gently pry the poppet box from the younger’s hands and examining it thoroughly. “We’ll make this impenetrable, Channie,” he stated, eyes glowing bright blue. “You have the best ward maker in Asia as your hyung. No one will ever be able to use this poppet to control you again.” 

Chan smiled, reaching out to thread his fingers through the other witch’s. “I trust you, hyung.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “I’d be honored if you’d allow me to join your coven.”

“About damn time!” Seungkwan crowed, hopping up from his seat to wrap his arms around the witches already hugging in the center of the living room. The other witches slowly joined in, crying and laughing as they all jumped on the youngest, pressing sloppy kisses and excited pats to everywhere they could reach on the youngest’s body. 

“We’d be honored if you joined our coven, Chan-ah.”

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! This is the third installment to Serein so there are some things that I mentioned in here that has been explained in previous stories that I didn't re-cover in this so I encourage you all to go back and read the previous stories. But for those of you just wanting to know the quick and dirty: the BR is the Beast Resistance (basically the big baddies of the previous two stories whose goal is to completely eradicate all supernatural beings), A witch's soulmate is found through their magic (magic resonates perfectly and is a guide to finding those who belong in your coven). 
> 
> Hope that helps for those of you who don't wish to read more and thank you again for reading!


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